Sony demos its motion controller, the PlayStation Move

At its GDC keynote today, Sony finally officially revealed its answer to Microsoft's Project Natal: the PlayStation Move. The inelegantly named motion controller will launch in three packages, starting with a standalone controller. Next up is a starter kit with the PlayStation Move, PlayStation Eye, and an unnamed game for under $100. The most expensive will include a PlayStation 3 console, the Move, and the Eye.

The Move's design is identical to the one mocked some weeks back, and the glowing "orb" will be available in can change between four colors. It also has a companion sub-controller with a directional pad and analog stick to provide additional control for menus or games -- kind of like the Nintendo Wii's Nunchuk.

Sony demonstrated the Move with a range of sports titles, including archery, table tennis, and golf, which will be sold as "Sports Champions" -- again, kind of like Wii Sports Resort. Sony also showed it in action with the SOCOM 4 beta, and LittleBigPlanet.

The PlayStation Move should land on shelves alongside Microsoft's Project Natal this fall. It isn't clear how many Move-compatible games will be available at launch, but Sony says virtually every third-party publisher plans to create games for the motion controller.